Snowkit's Second Chance
by Tux Warriorcat
Summary: StarClan has decided that Snowkit deserves a second chance. He had the heart of a true warrior, but was taken early because he would'nt be of any use to his Clan. But he was given a second chance, and this time he can hear as good as any cat!
1. Chapter 1

**Allegiances**

**ThunderClan**

**Leader:  
**Bramblestar: dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

**Deputy:**  
Squirrelflight: dark ginger she-cat with green eyes

**Medicine Cat:**  
Jayfeather: blind gray tabby tom with blue eyes

**Warriors:**  
Graystripe: gray tom with long fur  
Dustpelt: dark brown tabby tom  
Cloudtail: long-furred white tom with blue eyes  
Brightheart: white she-cat with oranges patches and one eye  
Brackenfur: golden brown tabby tom  
Millie: gray tabby she-cat with blue eyes  
Thornclaw: golden brown tabby tom  
Leafpool: light brown tabby she-cat with green eyes, former medicine cat  
Spiderleg: long-legged black tom with a brown underbelly and amber eyes  
Brichfall: light brown tabby tom  
Whitewing: white she-cat with green eyes  
Hazeltail: small gray and white she-cat  
Berrynose: cream tom **Apprentice, Molepaw  
**Mousewhisker: gray and white tom cat  
Cinderheart: gray tabby she-cat  
Lionblaze: golden tabby tom with amber eyes, can never lose in battle  
Foxleap: red-orange tabby tom  
Icecloud: white she-cat with blue eyes  
Toadstep: black and white tom with green eyes  
Rosepetal: dark cream and white she-cat  
Briarlight: dark brown she-cat with blue eyes  
Blossomfall: tortoiseshell and white she-cat  
Bumblestripe: pale gray tom with black stripes and green eyes  
Ivypool: solver and white she-cat **Apprentice, Cherypaw**

**Apprentices:**  
Cherrypaw: ginger she-cat  
Molepaw: brown and cream tom

**Queens:**  
Sorreltail: tortoiseshell and white she-cat with amber eyes (mother to Lilykit and Seedkit)  
Daisy: long-furred cream she-cat, from the horseplace  
Dovewing: pale gray she-cat with blue eyes (mother to Snowkit and Rainkit)

**Elders:  
**Sandstorm: pale ginger she-cat with green eyes  
Purdy: plump tabby with a gray muzzle, former loner

**Chapter One:**

The newborn kit quickly drew in a deep breath. He had been sleeping a long time, seemingly forever. But he couldn't see. He crawled forward, towards the scent of milk, towards the scent of his mother.

***

The kit opened his eyes. His mother, Dovewing, meowed excitedly, "Look, Bumblestripe, he opened his eyes!" His father, Bumblestripe hurried forward. He looked at Snowkit.

"I knew our kits would be beautiful," Bumblestripe purred, "What should we name him?"

"Snowkit. He has such fluffy white fur," Dovewing meowed proudly, "Oh, look, the other one has too!" Snowkit looked beside him at his sister, whose fur was much shorter than his. It was gray and striped. He thought it looked funny.

"This one should be Rainkit," Bumblestripe meowed. Dovewing nodded.

"Mother! Rainkit's opened her eyes, can we go out and play now?" Snowkit asked. He had heard Lilykit and Seedkit playing outside, and had wanted to as well.

Daisy, a kind she-cat that had no kits in the nursery, but stayed there anyway, purred, "So sweet. Ready to explore the second they open their eyes. They'll make fine warriors."

"Yes, you can explore. You should go to the elders' den. I'm sure Sandstorm would love to meet you," Dovewing meowed.

Snowkit scampered out of the nursery, followed by Rainkit. Snowkit decided he would find the other kits first. But as he stepped out, he stopped. The camp was so huge! There was a pile of delicious scents, and so many dens!

He opened his mouth to scent for Lilykit or Seedkit, but he could'nt find either. "What are you doing out of the nursery?" A huge tom asked. He was smaller than Dovewing, but so much bigger than Snowkit.

Snowkit puffed out his fur to look bigger. "We're exploring! Who're you?"

The tom replied, "I'm Molepaw."

Snowkit bounced excitedly. Lilykit was always wanting Molepaw and Cherrypaw to teach her battle moves! Now he could be just as skilled as them! "Can you teach me some battle moves?"

Molepaw shook his head and purred, "I'm sorry, but you're too small. I don't think Dovewing would want me to teach you to fight already."

"But Daisy said I'd be a warrior!" Snowkit wailed.

"Please?" Rainkit begged.

"Sorry, I have stuff to do," Molepaw padded away, leaving the kits behind.

Rainkit looked upset, but Snowkit was determined to do something more interesting. He found the biggest cat in the Clan - a striped brown tom - and mewled, "Can you teach me some battle moves?"

The tom looked amused. He meowed, "Does Dovewing know you're out of the nursery?"

Snowkit nodded, "We opened our eyes, so we're allowed to explore," He puffed out his chest, "Daisy said we would be great warriors!"

"Oh, you want to explore the camp? Why don't you find Lilykit and Seedkit? I'm sure they'll show you around."

Snowkit wanted to wail in frustration. How were they supposed to find Lilykit and Seedkit in this huge camp? He was just about to voice his thoughts, when the tom meowed, "Look, there they are!" Snowkit turned and saw them playing beside the nursery.

He bounded away from the tom without a word and came to a stop beside Seedkit. "Can we play with you?" Lilykit and Seedkit were three moons older than Snowkit and his sister, and they towered over him, like trees.

"Sure!" Lilykit tossed a ball of moss towards him and he scampered off in its direction. He pounced on it and began to chew on it.

"No, no like that!" Lilykit meowed.

Snowkit stopped, "What?"

"You're supposed to toss it back!"

"Okay!" He scooped it up and tossed it. It went a few mouse-lengths. Seedkit bounded forward and tossed it to Rainkit, who tossed it back to Snowkit. Snowkit grabbed it and ran around with it for a few heartbeats, then tossed it to Lilykit. He felt like a warrior!

**Chapter 2**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter** 2

Snowkit sat at the nursery entrance, excitement making his whiskers quiver. He imagined going out into the woods, running through the trees, soaring above the trees, claws ripping through his back -

_What?_ Claws... No. He imagined hunting, pouncing on voles and sparrows, the giant bird swooping over and carrying him away, away where -

No. That isn't what he's looking up to. He wants to train for battle, and fight for his Clan.

A sudden memory hit him, as though as solid as a rock. He remembered his mother, but not Dovewing, teaching him to fight, but silently, even though her mouth was moving. He wasn't understanding, he stumbled forward and pawed playfully at her. She became impatient and clawed him. He winced, but was sure she hadn't meant it.

_No!_ Snowkit shook himself. He was here, and that dream wasn't even at the ThunderClan camp!

Every cat ran, silently, and went in their dens. Snowkit's mother was trying to run to help him, but there was no time. The big warriors were running towards him, but he didn't know why, he didn't see any danger. But the he flew through the air, his wail silent, and he felt claws ripping into his back, and -

_Stop!_ Snowkit's mind wailed. He didn't want these crazy thoughts today! Why not any other day?

Dovewing padded over to him, and lickd his fur, having finished grooming Rainkit's pelt. He struggled to get away from her, but she held him down with her paws and fretted over his fur. He growled and kicked, but she didn't let go. Why did his mother have to do that? He was sure Lilypaw and Seedpaw's mother hadn't done this to them!

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own pry gather beneath the highrock for a Clan meeting!" He heard Bramblestar's yowl and sat up straight, his chest puffed out. "We have two ceremonies to hear, but I think we should do the youngest first," he paused and lept from the highrock, then gestured with his tail for Snowkit and Rainkit to come forward, and they did. Snowkit felt his heart trying to force itself out. "Snowkit, from this moment on, until you earn your warrior name, you will be known as Snowpaw," Snowpaw thought his heart began to beat quicker, if possible, "Brightheart, you are ready for an apprentice, you will be Snowpaw's mentor. And I know that you will pass on your bravery and experience onto him." Brightheart stepped forward and touched noses with Snowpaw, and he could see Cloudtail's eyes shining with pride. Snowpaw hadn't known that Brightheart had never had an apprentice... She was very old.

"I know you'll be a great apprentice," Brightheart murmered.

"Rainkit," Bramblestar continued, "from this moment on, until you earn your warrior name, you shall be known as Rainpaw. Hazeltail, you are ready for an apprentice. You will be Rainpaw's mentor. And I know that you will pass on your spirit and courage onto her," Rainpaw and Hazeltail stepped forward and touched noses.

"Snowpaw! Rainpaw!" The Clan yowled. Snowpaw closed his eyes and lifted his head, feeling as though he was already a leader.

His clanmates yowls were drowned out and he heard nothing but silence. He could see a small black and white blur below him, running after him, but -

Snowkit shook his head and opened his eyes. Bramblestar had started speaking again. " -amblestar, leader of ThunderClan, call apon my warrior ancestors to watch apon these apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you in return. Molepaw, Cherrypaw, do you promise protect your Clan, and uphold the warrior code, even at the cost of your lives?"

"I do!" Cherrypaw practically yowled.

"I do," Molepaw replied more calmly.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names. Molepaw, from this moment on, you shall be known as Molepelt. ThunderClan honors your courage and loyalty. Cherrypaw," Bramblestar continued, "from this moment on, you shall be known as Cherrynose. ThunderClan honors your spirit and swiftness. We welcome you - each of you - as full members of ThunderClan."

"Molepelt! Cherrynose!" The Clan yowled.

Molepelt and Cherrynose padded beside the fresh-kill pile and stood there, as though their vigil had already started, but it was only sun-high!

"Are we going hunting today?" Snowpaw asked Brightheart, looking away from her face, because her eye scared him slightly.

"I'm afraid not," she meowed to his disapointement, "I think we'll show you and Rainpaw the borders first." She looked at Hazeltail, "What do you think?"

Hazeltail thought, "Yeah, I think we should too. When you get to know the territory," she turned to Rainpaw and Snowpaw, "then we'll go hunting, but right now we should focus on getting you used to the territory."

"Aw, but I wanted to catch something for Dovewing!" Rainpaw complained. Snowpaw rolled his eyes.

"Rainpaw, quit complaining, at least we get to leave camp!" Snowpaw would've complained if he had been first to it, but since Rainpaw complained, he wanted to make her look bad. They hadn't had a really good relationship, but would play together sometimes.

"It's alright," Brightheart assured him, "I know you're disapointed, but you'll get to hunt soon, I promise."

By the time they returned to camp, Snowpaw felt as though he'd never get to know the territory. It was so huge! How had he lived so long, confined to that tiny camp when there was so much... space? He dropped a vole in the fresh-kill pile, one that Hazeltail had chased after near the ShadowClan border, which he had offered to carry. They had scented a rabbit on ThunderClan territory near the WindClan border, but Brightheart had said that WindClan was too prickly over their prey.

Dovewing raced over, "Oh! Did you catch that today? On your first day as an apprentice?"

"No, I was carrying it for Hazeltail, she caught it." Snowpaw didn't like admitting that he hadn't caught it, and wanted cats to think he had caught it, but knew that it would be mouse-brained to lie.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Snowpaw leapt to his paws and arched his back in a huge stretch. Stifling a yawn, he padded out of the apprentices' den while pondering last nights' dream.

It had been similar to the daydreams he had before his apprentice ceremony. But not as scary, and it didn't involve the bird.

It was about his dream-mother. That's what he had decided to call her, his dream-mother. She was really old, older than Dovewing. And she was probably pretty once, but her age turned her muzzle gray, and made her fur somewhat ragged. Her tabby fur was soft, though, as soft as Dovewing's fur was.

He ran through the dream once more, excitement flaring inside him. They could be visions from StarClan! There had been a lot of cats related to him that received messages from StarClan as apprentices, and they probably thought he was worthy too.

_Mother was meowing, but he couldn't hear. He saw her mouth opening and closing, but no sound came out. He meowed, "Mother, I'm hungry!" She looked puzzled, as though she didn't understand, so he repeated it slowly, "Mother... I'm... hungry."_

_An emotion flitted through her eyes, but disappeared before he could identify it. She opened her mouth and he could see she said, "Come on," and she pointed her nose to the nursery and padded towards it._

_He followed her, but a ginger tom stopped him. He spoke to Snowkit's mother, and she seemed somewhat angry, but gestured for him to follow the tom. He followed into and herb-scented den. A gray she-cat was waiting. She stood across from him, beside the ginger tom, while Snowpaw's mother stood beside him. The ginger tom meowed something and gestured for him to come to him. Snowpaw padded toward him and looked at his mother, silently asking why he had to do this, and why he couldn't be in the nursery, drinking milk._

_The gray she-cat spoke to the tom, and Snowpaw walked back to his mother. This time the tom didn't gesture, but just moved his mouth. Snopaw couldn't understand. He looked at his mouth, but all he could understand was "come" and "Snowkit". He tilted his head._

_Where? Come where? He wondered. He turned his head to look at his mother -_

Right at that moment was when Rainpaw decided to wake him up. But nothing could ruin his good mood today, not even Rainpaw. He padded directly to Brightheart, who was chatting with Whitewing, and meowed, hardly keeping his excitement from his mew, "Brightheart, you said we could go hunting today!"

"Yes, I know I did," she meowed with some amusement. "We will when Hazeltail finishes her vole," she indicated Hazeltail, who was actually eating a vole.

"Can't we go without Rainpaw and Hazeltail?" He asked.

"No," Brightheart meowed, "we should go together."

Snowpaw sighed and waited for what seemed like moons. Finally, when Hazeltail had finished her meal, they left camp and headed for the training clearing. Snowpaw felt like he would burst open if he kept the slow pace of his mentor, so he ran all the way there.

When the mentors arrived - Rainpaw had run with him, to his annoyance - they asked to see their hunting crouch.

Snowpaw dropped low, his tail help high, and stayed still, as Brightheart asked.

"Snowpaw, drop your tail," Brightheart meowed as she put his tail flat behind him with her own tail. "And lift your belly a little higher," she added.

He grunted and lifted his belly, then stepped forward silently. Brightheart nodded and he continued.

He could hear Hazeltail beside him hiss, "No, lower your tail!"

* * *

After a few minutes, when hey each got the hunting crouch right, they were allowed to go hunting. Snowpaw, Brightheart, Rainpaw, and Hazeltail padded into the forest.

Brightheart stopped. Snowpaw lifted his muzzle and scent the air. It smelled of vole. Brightheart turned to him and nodded. He padded forward, head lowered, and got close enough to pounce at th vole, which was sitting among the roots of an oak tree. He shook his hind quarters and pounced, landing directly on the vole. He bit its neck, silencing its muffled squeak.

"Wow, Snowpaw! That's great!" Brightheart mewed. Rainpaw looked jealous, while Hazeltail also looked happy.

"Yeah, it's really great," she meowed.

"Come on, let me catch something now!" Rainpaw meowed impatiently. The mentors shared an amused look and continued adding along. Snowpaw followed, feeling a wave of pride in himself. He had caught a vole! Out of Rainpaw and him, he was the first! Wait until Dovewing hears that!

When they arrived back in camp, Snowpaw was feeling particularly happy. Rainpaw had failed on her first attempt at catching a mouse. Then, on her second attempt, she caught a scrawny scrap of fur that she called a mouse.

Warriors were murmuring praise as they passed. Lilypaw and Seedpaw just nodded, not really caring.

But Snowpaw cared. He cared a lot. This was probably the best day of his life!

So far.


End file.
